Birmingham-based Shore Financial Services Inc. has hired Michael Kaysen as COO, a new position, as the company expands its management team to carry out an aggressive growth strategy.

Previously, Kaysen was a managing director at the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

"Mike's hiring represents Shore Financial's commitment to quality as we put together an agile, powerful management team," Shore CEO Kip Kirkpatrick said in a press release.

Kirkpatrick was recruited in April to oversee plans to grow Shore Financial from about $1.8 billion in loan originations this year to $8 billion to $10 billion in three years.

Since then, he has made several key hires, including former Rock Financial pitchman David Hall as president of Shore Mortgage, the company's retail division; Mike Jones as CFO; and Greg Pappas as head of capital markets.

Kirkpatrick said the company plans to double its current work force of about 500 in the next 12 to 24 months, which is "consistent with our intent to become one of the largest independent mortgage banks in the U.S."